Tag Archives: Preparing

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Gluten Free Carrot Cake

Hands Down…This is THE BEST Carrot Cake I have ever had! Seriously!

Believe it or not this carrot cake was first I have ever made. Of course I tweaked about three different recipes and came up with my own. It is now a favorite. I made this recipe for Thanksgiving, 2016. I wanted a cake. A carrot cake, and in order for the hubs to enjoy it the cake needed to be gluten free. I was so concerned that it was not going to be good, at the last minute I made a chocolate cake just to be on the safe side in case the carrot cake was not a hit. It was a home run!

RECIPE

           The BEST Gluten Free Carrot Cake

  • 1/2 cup organic unsweetened applesauce
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 egg whites
  • 4 1/2 cups (1 pound) organic shredded carrots
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 box Gluten Free yellow cake mix
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup organic raisins
  • 1 1/4 cups finely chopped pecans or walnuts

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two parchment-lined 8″ round cake pans.
  2. Beat together applesauce, eggs, carrots, and spices. 
  3. Whisk the cake mix and baking soda; add to the wet ingredients.
  4. Stir in raisins and nuts.
  5. Spoon (or pour) the batter into pans.
  6. Bake for 60 minutes.
  7. Remove the cakes. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before turning out of the pan onto a rack to cool. Frost when completely cool. (See below)

 Icing

  • 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
  • 12-ounce of the lower fat cream cheese (1 1/2 packages) Note: Fat Free will not work.
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla
  • 3 1/2 – 4 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

Instructions

  1. Beat butter and cream cheese until smooth.
  2. Add salt and vanilla; beat in the sugar. 
  3. Beat in a teaspoon of milk if the frosting is too stiff to spread or beat in more sugar if it’s too thin.

Jennie B’s Tip – Bake the cakes a few days ahead of time and freeze. This makes for easier, prettier icing and it will make your cake more moist. Store in refrigerator. Pull out about an hour before serving.

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THE 39 Calorie Cookie

WHAT? 39 Calories AND Healthy? Yep…it is TRUE!IMG_1119

These truly are good! I altered a recipe I had, by mistake, and they turned out great. Our eleven year old son will eat them so they must be pretty good. The texture is a little different, I am not gonna lie, but that does not bother me, or him, one bit. Give these a whirl next time you are wanting something a little sweet.

THE Healthy Cookie (by mistake)

-Mash 2 Ripe Bananas

Add:

-1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

-1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon

-1/3 Cup Organic Raisins

-1 1/2 Cup Organic Oatmeal

-1/4 Cup Unsweetened Organic Applesauce

You can add 1/4 cup dark chocolate, nuts or seeds.

Bake @ 325 for 15-20 minutes. When you pull out of the oven you can take a knife and dip it into some raw honey and drizzle on top of cookies. IT DOES NOT TAKE MUCH! This just adds a little sweetness. Then sprinkle with cinnamon. If you did not want to use the honey you could sprinkle a little stevia on top with the cinnamon.

As always, if you make them let me know how you like em’! Remember, if you add the chocolate, nuts or seeds that will up the nutritional value per cookie. This recipe makes 20 cookies.

Happy Eating,

Jennie B

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Freeze those Strawberries

Strawberries are coming in! Time to get picking AND freezing! 10277049_540553392721196_5674991866858977377_n

When it’s picking time I get so excited! I guess because it means that winter has come to an end here in the south (YIPEE! I loathe Winter, I really do!) and all kinds of goodness is to be harvested over the next several months. My freezer is becoming empty and is ready to be restocked with all that goodness. Do you and yours go berry picking? If you don’t you should. For many reasons.

  1. You will pay less if you pick them yourself.
  2. You get to pick the berries of your choice.
  3. When you pick any fruit or vegetable yourself you know where it came from. Note: Be sure the farmer does not use any pesticides.
  4. You get to support your local farmers. Now that is a win win for everyone!
  5. Make it a family outing. The little ones typically enjoy picking. (Typically…Lol!)
  6. We should eat fruit and vegetables when in season. This is another win win.
  7. You freeze them and therefore throughout the year you are eating strawberries that are “in season”.
  8. Strawberries are loaded with antioxidants. Eat your strawberries!

How to Freeze Strawberries

It is super easy…

-Wash them off and let them dry.

-Cut tops off (or not if you throw in smoothies or shakes) and place on a cookie sheet, without them touching each other, and flash freeze them. You can cut them in smaller pieces if you desire.

-Once they are frozen pop them off the cookie sheet, while they are frozen, and put in freezer bags.

By not having them touch during the flash freezing process is KEY. This prevents them from clumping together. Don’t you hate that? You know, when you buy frozen fruit and it is one big ole’ clump? It is because they all stuck together due to moisture.

As always I would LOVE to hear from you! Share is caring…if you like what you read please share on your social media outlets.

Much Love,

Jennie B

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Plan and Prepare

Want to know how I stay on track and keep my family on track to Living Life Healthy?

My #1  1/2  MUST to eating Healthy!
This is AFTER you have figured out YOUR WHY!
plan
This really is the key to staying on track! If you DO NOT plan and prepare then you are grabbing whatever is “Easy”! Right? But “Easy” really can be EASY!

Well, it is time to set aside a little time, and I do mean a little, to plan out your week and your grocery list.